| Chapter
8 |
| 1 | Doth
not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? |
| 2 | She standeth in the top of high places,
by the way in the places of the paths. |
| 3 | She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the
coming in at the doors. |
| 4 |
Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. |
| 5 | O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye
fools, be ye of an understanding heart. |
| 6 | Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the
opening of my lips shall be right things. |
| 7 | For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an
abomination to my lips. |
| 8 |
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or
perverse in them. |
| 9 | They
are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find
knowledge. |
| 10 | Receive my
instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. |
| 11 | For wisdom is better than
rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to
it. |
| 12 | I wisdom dwell
with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. |
| 13 | The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:
pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. |
| 14 | Counsel is mine, and
sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. |
|
15 | By me kings reign, and princes decree
justice. |
| 16 | By me
princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. |
| 17 | I love them that love me; and those
that seek me early shall find me. |
|
18 | Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and
righteousness. |
| 19 | My
fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice
silver. |
| 20 | I lead in the
way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: |
| 21 | That I may cause those that love me to
inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. |
|
22 | The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his
way, before his works of old. |
| 23
| I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth
was. |
| 24 | When there were
no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with
water. |
| 25 | Before the
mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: |
| 26 | While as yet he had not made the
earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. |
| 27 | When he prepared the heavens,
I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: |
| 28 | When he established the clouds above:
when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: |
|
29 | When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters
should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the
earth: |
| 30 | Then I was by
him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always
before him; |
| 31 | Rejoicing
in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of
men. |
| 32 | Now therefore
hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. |
| 33 | Hear instruction, and be
wise, and refuse it not. |
| 34 |
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at
the posts of my doors. |
| 35 |
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. |
| 36 | But he that sinneth
against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. |
